Packing for rotary motors.



Ive/861,926.

- 'PATENTED JULY 30, 1907.

J WILKINSON PAGKING FOR ROTARY MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12, 1906. I

I W/TNESSES:

@Jrf HB UNITED STATES JAMES WILKINSON, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE PATENT OFFICEA ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO WILKINSON TURBINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

PACKING FOR ROTARY MOTOBS.

No. 861,926. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July so, 1507.

Application filed January 12,1906. Serial No. 296,766.

shafts.

' One object of my invention is to provide an automatic governor for controlling leakage. in rotating shaft packing, said governor, in its .preferred form,

. comprising a fluid motor which moves sensitive to variations in pressure of the leakage fluid acted upon by the packing and automatically adjusts'the clearances between stationary and rotating parts or valves the leakage of'the fluid at different points in the p i i A further object of my invention, which pertains peculiarly to steam turbines, is the combination with a packing, in which the leakage is governed as above,

of conduits or passages leading from points in said packing, where its-automatic action should maintain determined pressures of the leakage fluid, to points in the working passage of the turbine where slightly lower pressures normally obtain in the niannend'escribed and broadly claimed in a pending application, Serial No. 377,428, filed June 5th, 1907.

My invention also includes certain in a' liquid packing means.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred. embodiment of my present invention:Figure 1, is a side elevation of a turbine provided with my improvements, the casing of the turbine and the hearing frames being broken away to illustrate the internal arrangement of, parts in vertical sectional elevation. Fig. 2, is a detail view of the pump element in the liquid packing, shown partly -in elevation. Fig. 3, is a bottord view of the thrust bearing. Fig. 4,,is a plan view of the support for the thrust bearing. Fig. 5, is a side view of the bearing and supporting frame in vertical section with the adjusting lever removed. Fig. 6, is a detail view of the adjusting lever. Fig. 7, is a vertical sectional elevation along the line 11: 1:, Fig. 1. Fig. 8, is an end view of the bearing frame for the high pressure.

Similar reference numerals refer tosimilar parts improvements throughout the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings-I have illustrated invention in their cooperative relation in an elastic fluid turbine of the multi-stage, non-condensing axial.

-fiow type. This turbine comprises an outer split shell or casing 1 having shouldered abutments between whichthe supply head 2 and the several diaphragm partitions-3 are held. The exhaust head is bolted or otherwise secured to the end of the shell. Suitable packing, as 5, prevents leakage between the head 2' and the shell. I admit the motor fluid to a steam chest 6, formed in the head 2, frorn which a. plurality of nozzles, indicated in dotted lines,-lead through the supply head and diaphragmsf forming a working passage for the fluid of gradually increasing proportions. A rotatable shaft 7 passes through thesupply and exhaust heads, being packed in the manner hereinafter described, and supported in bushings 8, mount; ed in bearing frames 9. A pluralityof bucket wheels 10 having flanged hubs 11, are mounted upon .the shaft, being secured thereon against rotation by a key (not shown), which is inserted in a. longitudinal slot 12 in the shaft. The ends of theseveral wheel hubs are faced off and abut, being heldagainst longitudinal movement between the shoulder 13'at the exhaust end of the shaft and the nut 14, which is screwed onto a reduced threaded portion of the shaft near its high pressure end and engages a ring and groove packing sleeve 15, which abuts against the wheel hub in the high pressure stage. The several wheels'are provided with buckets 1 6 which move in the path of the fluid in the working passage. The shell 1 is supported by a standard 17 mounted on a bed plate 18, which also supports the bearing frames 9. The packing for the high pressure or supply end of the turbine is of the ring and groove or interleafed gland type, the sleeve 15 being provided with a plurality of annular ring projections which are disposed within an equal number of annular or ringgroove chambers 19 formed in the inner wall of the shaft opening in the supply head. This form of packing is commonly used in this art and in selecting it, it will'be understood that its equivalent may be substituted without affccting"the operation of my invention. Asthe fluid tends to leak through the packing from the'high pressure stage its volume and pressure-is varied in its flow through the several ring chambers 19, the volume of the leakageand the pressures existing in the several ringchambers 19 being determined by the clearancesbetween the packing rings. It being desired, for the purposes of my invention, to govern the volume of leakage and also the pressures ofthe leakage fluid it' is desired to maintain in the several chambers 19, I propose to provide a means for effecting automatically 9, relativeadjustment .of the the several improvements constituting -my present 1 packing rings sensitive to pressure conditions of the leakage fluid acted upon .by the packing. I This will have the cfiect in the illustrated construction, of varying the clearances between the stationary and rotating rings, increasing the clearances as the pressure in the packing fallsand diminishing them as the pressure rises. As one me'ans for effecting this automatic adjustment, I providea cylinder 20 formed in the bearing frame 9 for thehigh pressure end of the shaft, and preferably disposed :below and parallel with the shaft bushing 8. The

[spring 26 engages the outer face of the piston and tends to move it inwardly or towards the turbine, in opposition to the leakage fluid pressure. This spring seats againsta washer 27'which is-engaged' and adjusted by screws 28 to vary the tension on'the spring 26. -The piston moves 'a piston rod 29, which passes through the washer 27 and enters a circular'chamber 30 forming a continuance of the chamber 20. This chamber-is disposed below the thrust bearing 31 at the high pressure endoi theshait 7.' As seen on Sheet 1 of the drawings the bottom face oi this thrust bearing is recessed at 32 in a peculiar manner, the recess being. adapted to receiye the upper portion ofthe head 33 of a lever 34.

' This head 33 extends transversely to the body of the lever. and is rounded above and below, the lower or fulcrum portions thereof being adapted to rest in two semineed not be wide.

circular grooves ,35 in the seat of the thrust bearing, formed on each side of an opening- 36 leading downwar'dlythrough said seat to the chamber The body I portion 34 of the lever is narrow so thatthis opening 36 The" lower portionoi the lever, which projects into the-chamber 30, has a cylindrical bearing end 37 which rests in a'semi-ci'rcular groove in therod 29. I'thus provide a leverage connection between the rod 29 and the thrust bearing 31, the purpose of which isboth to multiply the power of the motor and to cause said thrust bearing to adjust the shaft] axially 45' The thrust bearing 31 is of the ordinary construction,

upon the movement of the piston 25 in its cylinder.

engaging a plurality of integral collars on the shaft 7 so that any movement imparted it is also imparted to the shaft and sleeve 15. Other means may be used to effect this adjustment of a partoi the my invention in its broadest aspect including the direct connection of the motor to part of the: or the provision. of

- means tomake either or both parts of the packing self adjusting.

I provide to the axial-movement of the shaft in both directions, and to lock the-packingrings' and shaft in .any'desired position these means coma set 39, iii the end plate 40 for the bearing, flame-and adapted .to engage thethrust and limit its outward movement, and a second set screw 41, provided witha lock nut 42', and infierted in the end plate and bearing framefthmugh which it enters the outer end of the chamber. 30,v where it acts to limit the outward travel of the rod 29f at any desired point and therehylimit the inward play of the thrust'bearing 31. I provide a lock nut 42 for adjust tl) .shaft and accordingly the sleeve 15 so that ,the rings thereon are moved to vary the clearances between their inner faces and the sides.of the chambers 19, or to vary the throttling action of the packing devices so as to permit the desired 'volume of leakage and maintain a substantially uniform pressure in the ring chamber or point in the packing from which the passage '23 leads. rotating shaft packing controlled by the pressure of the leakage fluid and acting to prevent substantial variances in the volume and pressure of the leakage at the controlling point orotherpoints' in the packing. \Vhile this automatic manner 'of governing the leakage is of advantage in character of rotating packing, it is of particular value whenit is proposed to return the leakage fiuid'or parts thereof back into the turbine. For it is evident that the automatic devices for governing the leakage in the packing tend to prevent material variations in the pressure or volume of the leakage at any given pointin the packing. lows therefore that the leakage fluid may be withdrawn from any one of these points and, being substantially constant in pressure, may be introduced into the working p at the point where the normal pressure is only a little less than that of the leakage fluid. I consider that the most satisfactory conditions as to economical" operation will obtain when the packing is so: arranged that it has stages corresponding to the stages of the turbine and communicating therewith, and is adapted to maintain the leakage fluid in the 44 in the hub 11 of the second wheel opposite the shalt opening in the diaphragms between the second fan-l third In the same manner the passages from the second chamber 19 open into the groove 44 bpposite the third diaphragm and etc., the outer chamber or end oi'the vpacking communicating with the exhaust end of the turbine through a passage 45 A certain amount of steam will leak past the packing sleeve 15, and'will exhaust from the outer end of the high pressure packing through passage 45. This passage being free tends to maintain the exhaust pressure of the 'j turbine at the outer end of the high pressure packing.

As before stated, the turbine illustrated is designed to operate non-condensing and the steami-n the exhaust end, as well as the outer end at the high pressure packing, will be substantially at'tll e pressure of the atmos'-- phere. In condensing turbines, ,the as:

- be led to a point where a pressure approximately that of the atmosphere normallyobtains.

In other words, I provide a governor for a It fol-- It is desirable to seal-the joint between the shaft and both the supply and exhaust heads against the leakage to or from the atmosphere, and I prefer to effect this element 46 disposed in an annular pump chamber 47 surrounding the shaft and formed in the exhaust head, being inclosed at the sides by two annular detachable plates 48 and 49, which have inwardly disposed cupped flanges 50-and 51 parallel with the shaft and respectively disposed. opposite the shoulder l3 and a reduced portion 524 The pump element comprises a web portion 53,'whi'ch is fastened, so as to make a pressure tight joint, to the outer face of the shoulder 13 and formed integral withan annular rim portion 54 which rotatesin close proximity to the opening in the exhaust head. This rim has, annular side flanges 55 and. 56 of. unequal width which are disposed parallel with plates 48 and 49 and extend'to a point near the flanges 50 and 51. 'The element is'thus provided with two annular rotating pumping chambers of different radial depths and capacity which communicate through ports 57 in the web 53 near the rim. A spiral thread or pro-' jection 58 surrounds the'rim 5:1, acting to force the liquid'in the chamber 47 outwardly'with sufficient powerto cause it to flow against the atmospheric pressure A (Fig. 2) over the rim and, between flanges 56 and 51 and enter the inlet side of the centrifugal pump. Here the rotation 01' the pump element places the liquid under such a pressure as to cause it to flow through and seal the ports 57 and discharge itself into the clearance between flanges 55 and 50', priming the same and flowing outward to a point where the spiral-pump? 58 again takes effect on it. 1 thus provide a body of liquid which circulates under the combined pump and centrifugal powers and effectively sealsthe shaft joint.

. I provide the portion 52 of the shaft with a spiral thread 59 disposed opposite the flange 51 and cooperating therewith to form a spiral pump which arrests and throws back into' circulation any liquid which may fall on the shaft. This foregoing description applies equally to the liquid packing used at the high pressure end of the turbine, except that the web 53 of the pump ele-- ment is here shown as formed integral with or attached to the nut 14. These liquid packings may be'adapt'ed to operate between anyordinary differences in pressure. I

It will be noted that the liquid packing at the high pressure end of the turbine will act as a condenser on the steam which leaks past the high pressure ring packing and will thus maintain its supply of sealing liquid.

The surplus water may be drawn oft-through the possage 60 and pipe 61 in any desired manner, such as through a trap. The automatic action of the ring pack- 'ing will maintain a substantially constant pressure on '-sure as may occur otherwise.

the inner side of the liquid packing. This is of im-' portance asit does not then require the liquid seal to be adapted to withstand such wide variations in pres- "I provide-the.ring chamber with which the passage '23 communicates with a pressure indicating means,

a such as a gage 62 connected to said chamber by' a. pasone of said chambers. V

7: In a turbine, rotating buckets and stationary guide 4 described Lil illustrative embodiment of. my invention,

but it is to be understood that it may be various1y modified within the scope of the fin ing my invention, 7

What I claim jas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is:- I

J. In a fluid motor, a packing for the high pressure which comprises moving and stati'onarylpnrts between claims hereinafter-dewhich the leakage fluid, as it flows; is gradually expanded,'

in comhinatioii with means responsive to pressure varia tiuns of said fluid which automatically governs its flow at dilferent points'thtough said packing. i

,In a turbine, a casing, rotatable parts therein, and

.high pressure racking between said casing and parts comprising a tortupusgland; and a fluid motor which responds to variations in the pressure of the leakage fluid acted upon by sn.idgla1d,.ind automatically adjusts the clear-'- auccs in said gla d.

3. in a turhlnc, a casing, rotating parts, and a highpressure packing between said casing and parts which enmpris s a compound packing element which rotates with said parts fixed packing device's cooperating with said element, and means movable sensitive to changes in the pressure 01 the leakage fluid acted on by said. packing. which are adapted to automatically ndju t saidrotatable element.

4. The' combinationwith a rotating sh ft, or :1 packing therefor comprising stationary and rotatable annular parts which are interleafed, spring means tending to open the clearances" between said parts, and menus automaticallysensitlve to pressure conditions, which oppose the opening 01. said clearances. ,7 v r -5.'I1i a turbine, a casing, a rotatable element, and a packing between said ecmenl: and easing comprising relutlvely' adjustable parts between which annular chambers are formed for the expansion of the leakage fluid in stages, and means responsive to pressure variations of the leakage fluid in one of sai stages which tend to maintain the sev eral packing stagepressures' substant ally constant.

, .6. -In 'a turbine, .a packing at 'the "high pressure .end.

thereof comprising a plurniity of annular chambers into -which the leakage fluid flows successively, in combinationr with means to reduce said leakage by automatically throttlirg its flow, which cooperate-with means to draw ol'f parts ofsaid iluid tor use in the turbine, said throttling means acting responsive to predeterminedpressure in said the leakage fluid pressure in devices forming a worki 1g pussa'gei'ljor'the-motor fluid, in

8. In a turbine, the combinatipn with a shaft and a high I pressurelpncking therefor, of agencies to successively re- (luce theyolume and pressure of the leakage fluid in the packing-by throttling it and discharging portions thereof I into the turbine, Ethe throttling means comprising a ring:

sleeve adjusted by the leakag fluidunder its control for the purpose of automatically regulating thepr'ess'ure of said leakage'fluid in the packing. A

9. In a turbine,1-otatnble parts and a packing means for said parts at the high pressure end 013 the turbine comprising a self adjusting throttling packing which govern: the leakage of pressureytbcrethfough, and n liquid packing be lween the atmosphere and the iluid whlch leaks past smld self adjusting packing, for the purposes described.

tion with a throttling packing having governed positions l of restintermediate its range of travel which isTinterposed between the high pressure fluid in the turbine and the adjacent liquid packing, and means to substantially equalize the internal pressures to which said liquid packlngs are exposed.

11. In a turbine, rotatable parts a casing surrounding said parts, a sel adjusting throttling packing between said parts and casing, and passages leading from said packing into the turbine which are throttled by said packing, in combination with a liquid packing for said parts which is exposed to the fluid leaking past said self adjusting packing, and a free passage uneifected by the movements of .said latter packing which leads from a point between said packlngs to the low pressure end of the turbine.

12. 1n a turbine, a, casing, rotatable parts therein, a high pressure packing for said parts, a fluid motor movable responsive to pressure changes in said packing, and leverage means to transmit movement from said motor to an adjustable part of said packing for the purpose of governing the leakage therein. I

13; in a turbine, a casing, rotatable fluid driven devices therein, a shaft supporting said devices and passing through said casing, a high pressure packing for said shaft, :1 fluid motor controlled by the leakage fluid acted upon by said packing, and leverage means to transmit movement from .the motor to said-shaft, to adjust the latter longitudinally for the purposes described.

14. in a turbine having a working passage comprising fixed guide devices and rotating buckets, rotatable bucket supporting means, a casing, 'meuns to supply motor fluid to the turbine, and packing means to hold the fluid in said wvorking passage comprising a. self adjusting packing at Correction in Letters Patent No. 861,926.

the high pressure end of said turbine, and means-to pack clearances between said guide devices and bucket supporting means comprising passages exhausted from said packing into said 15. in an elastic fluid turbine, incloscd therein, pro sure between said casing and rotatable parts, means to utilize the pressure at a predetermined pointin said packing to automatically govern the leukage, gage means to indicate the pressure at said predetermined point, and

clearances. a casing, rotatable parts Wilkinson, of Providence,

case in the Patent Office.

to discharge fluid a tortuous packing means tor the high.

hand controlled means ,to bring the governed leakage fluid at said point to the desired pressure.

16-.; In a' turbine, a' casing, rotatable parts therein, and a tortuous packing Igor said port's comprising rotatable 'and stationary elements, in combination 'withfmcz us to adjust by hand the clearances between said elements, means responsive to pressure, variations of the leakage fluid to automaticalli adjust said clearances, and adjustable means to lock-said elemcnts'in afiy 'flxedreiution have been written and printed Alabama and that the said Letters read with this correction therein that the same may conform to desired.

17. In a high pressure packing for turbine shafts, an

interl eafed gland, conduits effect a drop of the leading from said gland to leakage fluid therein, a. liquid seal at the low pressure end of the -said gland, and a passage leading from a point between said seal and gland for. the purpose of dropping the internal pressure of the leakage fluid to which said seal is exposed. 4 I

18. In combination with a turbine and its shaft, a mechanical packing which reduces the pressure of the leakage fluid in stage s,n.liquid sealing means disposed between the atmosphere and low' pressure end of said packingg'and means to draw ofi the fluid-pressure leaking entirely past said packingnnd protect said liquid seal against high internal pressures.

19."A liquid packing for rotating shafts, comprising a packing chamber, a body of liquid therein, an element rotatable with the shaft and disposed within said chamber and comprising a web body portion connected to n flanged rim, ports through'the web, and a spiral rib carried by the rim and 'adapted to movejn close proximity to the.adjucent circuinijerential wall of the packing chamber, substuntially as described.

20. A liquid packing for stationary chamber supplied with a sealing liquid, s rotatable pump element therein, communicating chambers in said element through which sealing liquid flows under centrifugal pressure, a clearance in the chamber surrounding said pump element, and a spiral pump means acting in said clearance to induce a positive circulation of said liquid against the pressure to be packed against.

Itis hereby certified that the name of the State of incorporation of the assignee in Letters Patent No. 861,926, granted July 30, 1907, upon the application of James Rhode Island, for an improvementin Packing for Rotary Motors, was erroneously written and printed Indiana, whereas said name should. Patentpshould be the record of the Signed and sealed this 22d-day of October, A. D., 1907.

o. o. BILLINGS,

Acting Commissioner of Pat ents.

tion with a throttling packing having governed positions l of restintermediate its range of travel which isTinterposed between the high pressure fluid in the turbine and the adjacent liquid packing, and means to substantially equalize the internal pressures to which said liquid packlngs are exposed.

11. In a turbine, rotatable parts a casing surrounding said parts, a sel adjusting throttling packing between said parts and casing, and passages leading from said packing into the turbine which are throttled by said packing, in combination with a liquid packing for said parts which is exposed to the fluid leaking past said self adjusting packing, and a free passage uneifected by the movements of .said latter packing which leads from a point between said packlngs to the low pressure end of the turbine.

12. 1n a turbine, a, casing, rotatable parts therein, a high pressure packing for said parts, a fluid motor movable responsive to pressure changes in said packing, and leverage means to transmit movement from said motor to an adjustable part of said packing for the purpose of governing the leakage therein. I

13; in a turbine, a casing, rotatable fluid driven devices therein, a shaft supporting said devices and passing through said casing, a high pressure packing for said shaft, :1 fluid motor controlled by the leakage fluid acted upon by said packing, and leverage means to transmit movement from .the motor to said-shaft, to adjust the latter longitudinally for the purposes described.

14. in a turbine having a working passage comprising fixed guide devices and rotating buckets, rotatable bucket supporting means, a casing, 'meuns to supply motor fluid to the turbine, and packing means to hold the fluid in said wvorking passage comprising a. self adjusting packing at Correction in Letters Patent No. 861,926.

the high pressure end of said turbine, and means-to pack clearances between said guide devices and bucket supporting means comprising passages exhausted from said packing into said 15. in an elastic fluid turbine, incloscd therein, pro sure between said casing and rotatable parts, means to utilize the pressure at a predetermined pointin said packing to automatically govern the leukage, gage means to indicate the pressure at said predetermined point, and

clearances. a casing, rotatable parts Wilkinson, of Providence,

case in the Patent Office.

to discharge fluid a tortuous packing means tor the high.

hand controlled means ,to bring the governed leakage fluid at said point to the desired pressure.

16-.; In a' turbine, a' casing, rotatable parts therein, and a tortuous packing Igor said port's comprising rotatable 'and stationary elements, in combination 'withfmcz us to adjust by hand the clearances between said elements, means responsive to pressure, variations of the leakage fluid to automaticalli adjust said clearances, and adjustable means to lock-said elemcnts'in afiy 'flxedreiution have been written and printed Alabama and that the said Letters read with this correction therein that the same may conform to desired.

17. In a high pressure packing for turbine shafts, an

interl eafed gland, conduits effect a drop of the leading from said gland to leakage fluid therein, a. liquid seal at the low pressure end of the -said gland, and a passage leading from a point between said seal and gland for. the purpose of dropping the internal pressure of the leakage fluid to which said seal is exposed. 4 I

18. In combination with a turbine and its shaft, a mechanical packing which reduces the pressure of the leakage fluid in stage s,n.liquid sealing means disposed between the atmosphere and low' pressure end of said packingg'and means to draw ofi the fluid-pressure leaking entirely past said packingnnd protect said liquid seal against high internal pressures.

19."A liquid packing for rotating shafts, comprising a packing chamber, a body of liquid therein, an element rotatable with the shaft and disposed within said chamber and comprising a web body portion connected to n flanged rim, ports through'the web, and a spiral rib carried by the rim and 'adapted to movejn close proximity to the.adjucent circuinijerential wall of the packing chamber, substuntially as described.

20. A liquid packing for stationary chamber supplied with a sealing liquid, s rotatable pump element therein, communicating chambers in said element through which sealing liquid flows under centrifugal pressure, a clearance in the chamber surrounding said pump element, and a spiral pump means acting in said clearance to induce a positive circulation of said liquid against the pressure to be packed against.

Itis hereby certified that the name of the State of incorporation of the assignee in Letters Patent No. 861,926, granted July 30, 1907, upon the application of James Rhode Island, for an improvementin Packing for Rotary Motors, was erroneously written and printed Indiana, whereas said name should. Patentpshould be the record of the Signed and sealed this 22d-day of October, A. D., 1907.

o. o. BILLINGS,

Acting Commissioner of Pat ents.

It is hereby certified that the name of the State of incorporation of the assignee in Letters Patent No. 861,926, granted July 30, I907, upon the application of James Wilkinson, of Providence, Rhode Island, for an improvement in Packing for Rotary Motors, was erroneously written and printed Indiana, whereas said name should have been written and printed Alabama; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Olfice.

Signed and sealed this 22d-day of October, A. D., 1907.

C. C. BILLINGS,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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